Tips, tutorials & inspiration for making slideshows

travel slideshow

I love to travel, but not all of my trips are “photography trips”. I travel with my family quite a bit. I also know a lot of photographers who travel for business with limited time to get out and make pictures. You can’t always concentrate on your photography as much as you would like when you’re on the road, but here are five tips to help you make the most of your next adventure.

1. Travel light.

It’s tempting to bring all of your photography gear with you to the family reunion. I like to bring a small kit when I’m not traveling specifically to make photos. I generally carry one camera, one or two zoom lenses and a speedlight (or LED). I MIGHT bring a macro lens if I know I’m going somewhere I will use it, but usually it’s just a zoom or two. Not only is a small kit easy to carry, it also keeps me shooting more and changing lenses less. I can carry everything I need in a small shoulder bag like this Think Tank Photo Retrospective 7.

2. Do your research.

It’s easier than ever to find good spots to shoot no matter where in the world you’re going. I used to read a lot of guide books, but now I just hit the Internet. Google images, G+ and Flickr are just a few places to look for great images from wherever you’re going. You usually have limited time when traveling for business or family, so it’s nice to be prepared when you do get a little time to shoot.

3. Schedule shooting time.

Rather than trying to squeeze in photography now and then, why not add a little photo time to your itinerary? Use outings with your family as “scouting trips” and make plans to visit good spots when you’ll have the best light. Chances are you’re out with your family in the middle of the day when the light is bad anyway. I find that my wife is much more understanding when I have a couple of hours set aside for shooting than if I’m holding up the family vacation so I can “get the shot”. Photos like this one usually don’t happen without a bit of planning.

4. Don’t forget the subjects you brought with you.

I’m terribly guilty of forgetting this one. I get so wrapped up in shooting the landscape, architecture, local people, etc that I forget to make photos of my family. Look for great backgrounds for environmental portraits of your kids. Don’t forget to get yourself in a frame every now and then too! Those cheesy shots of your family in front of the Grand Canyon NP sign might end up being your favorite photos of the trip.

5. Backup, but don’t miss out.

We all like to download our images and see what we got, right? It’s also a good idea to download your images to a hard drive each day in case something happens to your memory cards. Just wait until everybody has gone to bed. Don’t miss out on time you could be spending enjoying a trip with your family to dork-out on the computer. Your photos will be there after bed time.

Traveling should be fun! Make photography something that adds to your experience AND the experience of your friends and family. It only takes a bit of planning to make traveling with your camera easy and fun for everybody.

Rob Knight has been a professional artist in Atlanta, Georgia for over twenty years. He is a photographer, educator and an award-winning tattoo artist. Rob is an Adobe Certified Expert in Photoshop Lightroom, and an experienced Lightroom instructor. Rob enjoys teaching photography subjects from basic Composition to Hybrid Photography techniques.

This week’s spotlighted slideshow comes from photographer Joe C. Dovala. On a recent trip to Big Sur, Joe documented his trip and put together this wonderful video in ProShow Producer. We love the way his narration helps tell the story and his mixture of video clips and stills are top-notch! Watch his video below.

About Joe:
Joe started blowing bubbles in 1967, at the age of ten, when his father rented a two-hose regulator and tank from a gas station/dive shop in the small town of Yucaipa, CA. The influence of Sea Hunt’s Mike Nelson and The Silent World of Jacques Cousteau were just too much to ignore. Over the years he’s been involved with many types of diving, including instruction, research, and technical sport diving. Somewhere along the line the idea of taking expensive cameras and immersing them in saltwater seemed like a good idea. Joe’s been professionally making images and writing since 1999. http://www.jcdovala.com/

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This week’s spotlighted show comes from ProShow Producer user, Jim Guan Hoe. As an avid traveler and photographer, he’s put together a spectacular slideshow featuring the amazing colors of the National Parks of America.

Originally from Malaysia, Jim now resides in London and since retiring 7 years ago enjoys traveling the world. He takes 8-10 trips annually, snapping photos along the way to help document his travels.

Jim uses ProShow Producer to produce a slick HD slideshow to share his photo experiences with his fellow travelers. You can see even more of his videos on his YouTube channel.

Forget the snow globes or golden tan! The best things you’ll bring back from any vacation are the memories. Here are some tips to help you capture and share all of the best moments from your latest get-away in a memorable slideshow.

Tip #1. May the camera be with you, always

Keep a camera handy at all times, even if it’s just your smart phone. Remember, you’re supposed to be on vacation, so don’t overdo it by documenting every waking moment! Relax, enjoy those fruity umbrella drinks and simply be prepared for those great moments when they happen.

If you’re heading someplace wet, don’t let that stop you from taking pictures! Canon, Nikon, Panasonic and Olympus all make excellent, affordable waterproof point and shoot cameras. If you love having your iPhone camera with you at all times, check out this travel friendly case from LifeProof.